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A 

REPORT 

Om THE 

Present alarming State of 
NATIONAL AFFAIRS. 






y s 



Pursuojit to Notice previously 

given, a very numerous and respectable Meeting 
of the Citize72s of Schenectady , convened at Rog- 
ers' Coffee-Iioife, on the evening of the ^th of 
April, 1808 : 

ALEXANDER KELLY, was appointed Chairman, 
and JoH^r Burton, Secretary. 

After a few appropriate observations, the following 
Resolutio?2 was a<rreed to : 

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to take 
into cojisideration the present alarming state of 
our Country, and report thereon to a meeting to 
he subsequently called far that purp^rp 

A Committee was thereupon appointed, and a 7neef- 
ing notified for the \5th day of April, at the same 
place ; at which time and place the most numerous 
and respectable meeting ever witnessed in Sche^ 
nectady, convened. ...Henry Glen was called 
to the Chair, and Daniel Martin was ap^ 
pointed Secretary, when the Committee beifig call- 
ed upon, handed jz the following REPO RT :.... 



i* 



REPORT, &c, 



To the Citizens of Schenectady, 

\ OUR committee feel themselves unequal to the 
task of making such a report as the present state of 
our national affairs requires. ...With flifiidence they 
submit the following, as the result of their attention 
to the object of their appointment. 

1. Our government was formed for the people, 
not the people for the government, and that as far as 
it does not promote the safety, honor and welfare of 
the people» so far it ceases to answer the end of its 
being. 

2. That all power emanates from the people, and 
that so far as the power of government, which was 
derived from them, and is delegated by them, is con- 
fided to legislators or rulers, who, from want of capa- 
city, want of probity, or lust of pov/er, use or abuse 
that power with which they have been so clothed by 
the people (and for the proper exercise of which, for 
their benefit, they are paid by the people) to their in- 
jury, so far they have delegated their power and con- 
fided their interest to improper hands, and it becomes 
their duty, in a constiutioual manner, to dismiss these 
unworthy servants, and to supply their places with 
others more worthy, 

3. That it is the duty of the people, minutely and 
candidly to examine the conduct of those whom they 
have clothed with power ; and especially to test their 
talents and their principles by their conduct, for the 
experience of all ages has taught that republics are pe- 
culiarly liable to the intrusion of wolves in sheep's 
clothing; and it is equally the dictate of common 
sense, as well as the language of inspiration, That a 
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bring- 
the forth good things, and that an evil man out of tlie 



evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things. 
That a tree is known by its fruit, that a good tree 
cannot bring forth corrupt fruit, neither can a corrupt 
tree bring forth good fruit. Men do not expect to 
gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles ; the Al- 
might}^ only can look into the heart, and observe its 
dark counsels ; and weigh the understanding of man 
in his balance. To man it is given only to judge of 
jnan by his actions, as it is given him to judge of a 
tree by its fruit. 

4. To judge correctly of their legislators and ru- 
lers, the people must be possessed of correct inform- 
tion. It is equally the duty of the one to take the 
necessary pains to obtain this, and of the other to 
furnish it. Deeds of darkness only shun the light : 
and when correct information is withheld, candor 
must suspect that all is not right. 

5. In our intercourse with foreign nations, our in- 
terest is to be at peace with all, and in order to this 
we must observe the most perfect neutrality, and the 
most unequivocal good faith with all, otherwise we 
are not neutrals but partisans. 

6. Heaven has blest these United States with the 
fairest form of republican government the sun has 
ever beheld. It is their duty to support and defend 
it against every encroachment : to watch over it with 
the greatest zeal, and to prote(?t it from every unhal- 
lowed touch. A talent of inestimable worth is en- 
trusted by Heaven to the care of every citizen. ...A 
choice of their legislators and rulers.... It is their duty 
to occup3\ To Heaven must they account for their 
use of this invaluable privilege. In the improve- 
ment of this talent, in the exercise of this duty the 
voice of common sense and the voice of inspiration 
teach the same doctrine, and proclaim aloud to every 
citizen " choose ye out of all the people able men, 
$uch as fear God — men of truth— hating ccuetousness." 
This is the true federal creed. To this we .trust that 
federal republicans will always adhere as their politi- 
cal sheet anchor. 



In the present eventful era of the world, when the 
fate of nations is in a state of rapid and successive 
change... .When the nations of continental Europe, 
have been one after another drawn into and swal- 
lowed up, or dashed to pieces, by the vortex of 
France... In the awful crisis of our own national affairs, 
when the iron hand of oppression under the name of 
Embargo, is dealing out destruction and misery to eve- 
ry class of citizens (pensioners and placemen excepted) 
and to every individual with an unsparing hand and 
without measure : it becomes every ones duty to op- 
pose his power, however feeble, to stem the torrent 
which is sweeping us along with the besom of destruc- 
tion to the abyss of ruin. 

Although the measures and principles of the men 
in power, the ruinous consequences of which have 
been foreseen and dreaded, have uniformly been at 
variance with those of their predecessors, which fede- 
ralists approved, because founded on principle and 
practical knowledge ! yet that such a measure as that 
of a permanent embargo should have been conceived 
by a rational being and sanctioned by the represent- 
atives of an independent, agricultural, commercial 
and enterprizing people could not have been antici- 
pated, and is truly a phenomenon in the political, as 
much as that of a salt mountain is in the natural 
world ; both which discoveries have been alike re- 
served to adorn the age of reason, and perpetuate the 
memory of the philosophical administration of Mr. 
Jefferson. 

Without minutely dissecting the character of the 
party in power, the leading traits of their measures 
have uniformly tended to sap the foundation of the 
constitution. The whole has been a tissue of ob- 
scurity, mystery, deception and weakness at home, 
totally devoid of that frank, open, unequivocal, man- 
ly conduct which characterized the preceding admin- 
istrations : of persecution of the tried servants of the 
people by a general dismission from oHice, of men 



against whom not even the shadow of fault was al- 
leflged, merely to make way for the needy sycophants 
who had raised the party to power ; ancl of marked 
partiality towards one of the great belligerents of Eu- 
rope ; by all which our national character has sunk 
ii.to contempt, and we are involved in difficulties with 
every nation with which we have any connexion. 

The most extraordinary and prominent measure of 
the present administration, emphatically called Mr. 
Jefferson's strong measure, is the embargo. It is a 
strong measure with a vengeance ; a strong measure 
agai.ist ourselves, a measure that breathes destruction, 
that speaks terror in a voice of thunder : and what in- 
cre;'sces the alarm, the hand that heaves the fatal bolt 
remains unseen ...the causes that have produced this 
direful explosion are locked up in night. 

It is truly offensive to be obliged to hear the tor- 
rent of execration constantly pouring forth by the vic- 
tims of the embargo^ in the anguis'i of their souls, 
ag^iinst the authors of their distress. — Embargo is a 
terrible word to the mouth of labor. 

The pradice of fmuggling has hitherto continued 
almoft unknown among us. But the embargo, partly 
from the odioufnefs of the meafure, and partly from 
diftrefs, will introduce this pradice, which all the 
prefident's gun boats will not be able to extirpate, 
a pradice as pernicious to morality as detrimental to 
the public revenue. Any deficirncy in the revenue 
muft be made good by dired tax. This is worth 
coiifideration by thofe on whom the tax muft be laid. 

The odium of the embargo, it is to be lamented, 
instead of being coupled with the authors of it, will 
be attached, by the designing, to the republican form 
of government. Distressed and disgusted, the mass 
of the people will be ready to join the fortunes of the 
first desperate adventurer to establish despotism. 

Grain and provisions, the stable articles of this part 
of the country, being alike theproduce of every quar- 
ter of the globe, new sources of supply v/ill open 



themselves to the enterprize of Great Britain and her 
colonies ; and when once a stream has taken its di- 
rection in a certain channel it becomes difficult, per- 
haps impossible, afterwards to divert it from its course: 
at any rate a competition will be produced wtiich will 
reduce the prices of our provisions and produce so 
much as must be very injurious to the agricultural 
interest of the country. 

For what has the embargo been laid ? One of the 
oldest and ablest of our statesmen has solemnly de- 
clared that he defies any man not in the secrets of the 
cabinet to tell. Mr. Jefferson docs not tell... Col. Pick- 
ering declares he cannot tell... Congress do not tell ; 
but to add insult to the distress of the measure every 
flippant sycophant retails out his unmeaning jargon as 
reasons most satisfactory for adopting it. The presi- 
dent recommends it as a measure of precaution, the 
committee of commerce and manufactures in con- 
gress recommend it as a measure of coertion to force 
Great Britain and France to respect our neutral rights. 
How the embargo is to compel Bonaparte to respect 
neutral rights when he deems this to interfere with his 
determination to destroy Great Britain : and how the 
embargo, by quietly resigning to " Great Britain the 
*' undisturbed commerce of the ocean, whilst she can 
** live without our provisions and obtain the raw ma- 
*' terials for her manufactures elsewhere, & ^Inlsther 
*' manufactures from their excellence and the demand 
*' for them must find a way to every corner of the globe 
*' in spite of human power and ingenuity," remains for 
said committee to tell. Whether the motives for the 
recommendation and adoption of this pernicious mea- 
sure are to be sought for in the depths of presidential 
wisdom, and passive obedience and blind credulitv 
in the infallibility of a political pontiiT: whether in the 
mazes of foreign intrigue and tiie corruption of for- 
eign influence ; whether in the fear of foreign power 
and internal timidity and weakness ; wheiher in a 
design to secure power by alarming our fears to raise 
a standing army ; whether in the disordered brain of 



apolitical philosophist for the purpose of trying A 
political experiment ; whether in the bottom of a ma- 
lignant heart to blast the labours of the heroes and 
"W orthies our country, and prostrate the last hopes of 
republican freedom, or whether the embargo is merely 
a political juggle to supply the place of fixt principle, 
or a temporary expedient to save the vessel of state a 
little longer, now tossed on a tempestuous sea without 
rudder or compass. ..Whether the embargo is the off- 
spring of all or of any of these causes, it is to all intents 
and purposes, precisely such a measure (whatever its 
name) which all the nominal powers of Europe have 
been directed by their master to adopt for the purpose 
of excluding British commerce from their ports. 

While such is the fact, as to the effects of the em- 
bargo, and while the reasons for adopting the measure 
are so carefully hid from public view in midnight 
darkness as incapable of bearing the light from their 
odious deformity, and blasting the measure : while 
from the high colouring, promptitude and zeal w^ith 
which every petty irregularity by the pettiest officer of 
the British navy is held up to public view to impose 
upon the public feeling and give a false bias to the 
public judgment : and while notwithstanding our re- 
lation with every petty tyrant of Barbary, and of every 
wandering tribe on our frontiers, pass in review in 
every annual presidential message, our relations with 
France, the arbiter of continental Europe, by its pow- 
er, its tyranny, its philosophy and its intrigue, the 
scourge of man and the disturber of the nations have 
been past over for seven successive years in the most 
perfect silence ; while such are the palpable facts 
from whence we are to judge, who that is left to judge 
by reasoning from effects to their cause, of judging 
of a tree by its fruits, cannot trace the embargo to its 
putrid source. 

What jidgment shall we form of our legislators ? 
In the " Senate," says Mr. Pickering, " these papers 
*' (communications from the president) were referred 



** to a committee.. .The committee quickly reported a 
" bill for laying an embargo, agreeable to the prefi- 
'' dent's propofal. This was read a firft, a fecond and a 
«' third time and pafled : and all in the fhort com- 
•' pafs of about four hours. We were hurried into 
*' the paffage of the bill as if there was danger of its 
" being rejeded if we were allowed time to obtain 
** further information and deliberately confider the 
** fubjed. A little time was repeatedly alked to ob- 
*' tain further information and to conlider a meafure 
" of fuch moment, of fuch univerfal concern \ but 
" thefe requeils were denied. ...The prefident laid the 
" the papers communicated by him to congrefs Ihowed 
*' that great and increafing dangers threatened our 
" veffels, our feamen and our merchandize : but 
^' thefe papers exhibited no new danger ; none of 
*' which our merchants and our feamen had not been 
" well apprized. The merchants and feamen could 
" accurately eftimate the dangers of continuing their 
*' commercial operations. The great number of ves- 
** fels loading or loaded and prepared for fea : the 
** exertions every where made on the firll rumour of 
" the embargo to difpatch them demonftrate the pre- 
*' iident's dangers to have been imaginary, to have 
" been assumed*''^ The pidure drawn by this patri- 
otic and accurate painter requires no explanation. 
Does anyone imagine that if the prefident had dired- 
ed them to place a crown upon the head of the nephew 
of the great Napoleon, the demand would have been 
lefs reluctantly complied v/ith Mute, tongue- 
tied, aping Bonaparte's dum legiflature, with a lilent 
vote, did they pafs that ad, that fatal ad that was 
to facrifice the earnings of induftry, palfy enterprize, 
murder private credit, diffolve the plighted faith of 
man to man, torture human feeling, ruin peace of 
mind, reduce the affluent to beggary, grind the 
faces of the poor, and caufe fuffering humanity to Ao 
violence to juftice, by appropriating what ought to 
fatisfy a juft debt, to keep a fellow being from ftarv- 
ing. Thefe are not imaginary evils. They are me- 
lancholy realities. Inftances of every one of them 



iO 

might be produced without number. But who th^t 
has ejes or ears ftands in need of fuch evidence. 
Whoever doubts the evidence of his fenfes, will mor6 « 
readily doubt a ftatement of fads. Callous muft 
that heart be that can witnefa the complicated exift- 
ing evils without a pang. Infenfibility, fit only for a 
demon of darknefs, muft that man poflefs, who can 
add infult to injury by affcrting the propriety, the 
utility and even the popularity of the meafure : yet 
ftrange to tell fuch a being in human fhape now and 
then Ihews himielf. 

Much docs the prefident care for our feamen, out 
veflels and our merchandize I Merchants themfelves 
were out of the queftion, out of the fphere of his 
philofophicai conlideration. He does not even nam'e 
them in his melfage. They are only fubjeds to try 
his poiicical experiments upon... .But the failors, th6 
objects of his paternal folicitude...,nay, even the 
EfitiQi failors, for whom, leaft fearch fhould be mad6 
by their own government on board of our merchant 
veflels, an advantageous Britifh treaty is returned 
unratified, they muft be secured from danger at fea, 
to be ftarved on fhore, or beg a wretched pittance at 
the hand of charity. 

Under thefe circumftances is it fair, is it manly, 
impartial or honorable, officially to blazon forth every 
petty ad of wrong of the meaneft Britifh navy oflicer, 
officially to ring upon it every change which ingenui- 
ty can invent to catch the national feeling and aroufe 
it againft that, nation, and even, notwithftanding a 
difavowal of thefe ads of her agents, and a fpontane- 
ous offer of honorable reparation for the wrongs: whilft 
the affronts of her enemy are officially pocketed, her 
indignities and outrages of vaftly greater enormity arc 
tamely fubmitted to and pafTed over in filence. Such 
condud whilft it provokes pity and contempt from the 
one nation leads from infult to aggreffion by the 
other. Nay, fo bold has our tame compliance with 
every imperial decree rendered the tyrant of France 
that without ceremony he alTumes the reins of 



II 

government and ventures on the highest act of sove- 
reign power, that of declaring war for us. Away with 
the name of independence when the reality has not a 
being. If we submit to lick the dust under Bona- 
parte's feet we are unable to beard the British lion. 

The interest of the country, the voice of the nation 
is for peace — A fair, manly, impartial neutrality.. 
Our situation is such we cannot help being affected by 
the two great contending powers of Europe. When 
we reflect what they are, and what we are, our situa- 
tion is truly critical. Behold continental Europe. 
France has destroyed by her power, corrupted by 
her intrigues, and poisoned by her philosophy to such 
a degree that every power on the continent of Europe, 
at this moment, lies prostrate at her feet groaning un- 
der the most execrable tyranny. Who is ignorant 
of this ? Who does not know th^t Great Britain is 
maintaining a manly contest for her very existence^ 
her religion, her liberty, her law ? Who does not ac- 
knowledge that the British navy alone stands betwixt 
us and Xhe iron grasp of Bonaparte ? Who among us 
believes that if Britain falls we shall maintain our in- 
dependence. 

Is it meant by this chicane to fleece us, to draw us 
into a French alliance more destructive than her 
power, to Frenchify our morals, our religion and our 
feelings, the better to fit us for the Gallic yoke. 
Fellow citizens ! Pause. Though the yoke has been 
long preparing, it is not yet rivited on our necks. 
You are on the verge of destruction. We beseech 
you to pause before you take the fatal leap. Retreat 
from the precipice before the fatal blast sweeps you 
off.... one way of retreat is still left, one only way. 
Dismiss your unworthy servants that have been lead- 
ing you blindfold to destruction. A momentuous 
election is approaching, on it vast results depend. 
Remember that the state legislators you choose at the 
approaching election appoint electors who choose a 
president and vice president of the United States for 
four } ears ensuing the 4th of March 1809. Remember 



12 

that they also choose your council of appointment who 
appoint the judges on your bench, your civil and mi- 
litary officers. 

Fellow Citizens, 

You call yourselves christians....Be so in reality not 
in name only." Recur to the fountain of truth for your 
politics as well as your religion, your duty is there 
pointed out as with a sun beam. The characters you 
ought to choose are therein delineated with such 
exactness as cannot be mistaken, and the inevita- 
ble consequences of your choice ; you are directed 
therein to choose " out of all the people able men, 
such as fear God, men of truths hating covetousness.^^ 
The mouth of wisdom declares unto you the conse- 
quences of your choice — " when the righteous are in 
*' authority the people rejoice : but when the wicked 
*' bear rule, the people mourn. By the blessings 
** of the upright the city is exalted ; but it is over- 
*' thrown by the mouth of the deceitful.'' Listen to 
the words of the son of Jesse an honorable and a 
mighty prince in the last moments of his days. He 
declares them to be the words of the Almighty, " he 
" that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear 
*' of God.... and he shall be as the light of the morning 
*' when the sun riseth, even a morning without 
^* clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the 
*' earth by the clear shining of the sun after rain.'* 

The time has been when you rejoiced in the bless- 
ings of peace, in the comforts of plenty. During 
the administrations of Washington and Adams your 
fields brought forth abundance and you found a ready 
market for your produce. The farmer and the 
labourer, the merchant and the mechanic rejoiced 
together. The murmurings of want were not heard in 
your land. The nations of the earth wondered, and 
admired your happy condition. The adoption of the 
constitution was hailed as a new era in the science of 
government. No sooner had democratic hands as- 
sumed the reins than the fair prospect became ob- 
scured your sky began to lower. For seven years 
has the political gloom been t-hickening into darkness, 



13 

Egyptian darkness that is now felt. The storm has be- 
gun to burst. ..the voice of mourning is now heard 
from one extremity of the union to the other, and to 
finish the scene a foreign despot dictates peace and 
war to you. 

We conjure you before it is too late, make consci- 
ence of improving the talent committed to your care... 
the privilege of choosing your own legislators and 
rulers. It is not a matter of indiHerence whether 
you vote at the approaching election or not ; you are 
required to occupy, not to bury your talent in the 
earth. Ydur own a:ood, the e-ood of that society of 
which you are a member require it. Ignorant and 
vicious legislators will enact pernicious laws and 
make an improper choice of officers to rule over you. 
Be Americans, sacrifice party distinction for the good 
of your country... avoid sycophants, office hunters : 
and follow not the advice of persons whom you 
would not trust in the management of your private 
affairs. Be assured he that fears not God will not 
regard man.... Vote for men who will make consci- 
ence of enacting wholesome laws and making a judi- 
cious choice in their elections. 

ALEX. KELLY. 
JOHN BURTON, 
ALEX. ALEXANDER, 
DAVID TOiMLINSON, 
HENRY R. TELLER, 
ROBERT HUDSON, 
JOHN JAUNCEY, 
JAMES MURDOCH, 
ABRAHAM VAN INGEK. 



The foregoing report having been read and agreed 
10, the following resolutions were proposed and unan- 
imously adopted : 

1. Resolved, That republics are peculiarly subject 
to the attacks of wolves in sheep's clothing, and it be- 
comes particularly the duty of citizens to beware of 
them. 



14 

2. Resolved, That the sacred maxims, That bad 
fruit is produced from a corrupt tree ; and that when 
the wicked bear rule the people mourn ; being equal* 
ly the dictates of common sense, and the observation 
of universal experience : it is evident that the distres- 
sed state of our country is the effect of the weak and 
wicked conduct of men in power. 

3. That nothing short of a change of men can pro-- 
duce a change of measures : 

4. That it is the duty of federalists at the ensuing 
and all succeeding elections, to support truly federal 
candidates — able men — men of truth — who fear God 
and hate cccetousness ; that electors who make con- 
science of voting correctly, may be enabled to do so, 
and that whatever may be the result of such nomina- 
tions, they may enjoy the satisfaction of having done 
their duty : 

5. Resolved, That the meeting approve of the ad- 
dress as reported by the committee, and that five 
hundred copies be printed and distributed under the 
direction of said committee, together with the chair- 
man, and secretary of this meeting. 

6. Resohed, That the proceedings of this meeting 
be subscribed by the chairman and secretary. 

HENRY GLEN, Chairman, 

Daniel Martin, Secretary. 

Jonathan Price, Asa Hied, 

John Joyce, Henry Sergeant, 

David Johnson, Francis Denning, 

William Lyman, Zenos Hastings, 

Jacob Groesbeck, Eber Hubberd, 

Samuel Thorn, John L. Van Gasback, 

Samuel M' Kinney, John Van Vorst, 

John Swits, T. Newton, 

William Dunlap, Joseph Carley, 

Caleb Lyon, James Teller, 

Giles Sisson, Archibald H. AdamSj 



15 



Joseph Horsford, 
Philip Van Antwerp, 
Samuel Gardiner, 
Jeremiah Knovvles, 
Ryer Schermerhorn, 
Augustus R. Tellor, 
Jonathan Walton, 
Rice Beach, 
John V. Van In gen, 
Thomas Davidson, 
Abraham Van Eps, 
Thomas Dunlap, 
Robert Barker, 
Wynant Frank, 



William Griffin, 
Adam V. S. Thorn, 
William M'Clymon, 
Joseph Rodgers, 
James M'Klintock, 
Darcy Joyce, 
John I. De GrafF. 
James Thorn, 
Henry G. Van Ingen, 
Caleb Clark, 
William Wilkie, 
William Gardiner, 
George Leslie, 
George Rankin. 



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